My dad was born April 6th 1924 was 50 years old when I was born and I grew up around all of this stuff oh, he's been gone for a long time now and I'm so thankful for the things he taught me
I'd always warm the pony up at idle, turning the big motor over with the compression off while drinking a cup of coffee. When I got the coffee drunk I'd gas the pony and kick the compression on and hit the fuel and see what I had. If nothing but smoke I'd just shut the fuel off and let it churn a bit. Then usually it'd start popping and off she'd go.
And I was told it always needed to be hot coffee, hot coffee slows you down drinking it a bit more. It allows the engine to warm up more. Of course I learned that in the mid 60's...
My dad had a 2U8, pull rope pony motor. he taught me how to say, "Mother Fnnn Morphodite" Got my mouth washed out with white Lava a few times...I asked her how come she didnt wash dads mouth out?' My dad later said wet magnito in old pony motors would give you fits.
As a kid in 1962, I remember hearing a pony motor for the first time. Does anyone know when Caterpillar made the transition from pony motor to electric start? How about from cable to hydraulic cylinders on the blade?
20 or more years ago Cat in Australia were working on a delayed start where the starter pumped up engine pressure before it would engage the starter. Can anyone tell me if this is used on heavy machinery today please ? To my knowledge it wasn't just a decompression lever.
Yes. The AMA D11T has it built into the starting cycle. Some systems used a oil pump on the rear of the starter motor. Starter spun until pressure built up then solenoid was activated to engage the flywheel
Is the pony motor a gas engine or a diesel as well? Do they do that because the starting torque is so high on the main motor that an electric motor wont work, or just for ease in the field?
The pony motors on a D8H like this one are a 2 cylinder gasoline engine with a magneto ignition although smaller cat models had single cylinder starting engines I believe . Originally these were used because they had not yet developed electric starting motors or batteries that would handle cranking the main engine although by the time of the 46A it had become an option and many old timers continued to buy them with gasoline starting engines because they did not trust electric starters. Pony motors were notoriously temperamental to say the least and pretty much just unreliable! In the days of the direct drive cats lots of guys would park them on a hill with the blade in the air so that they could roll start them.
@@westcoastroadbuilders All pony motors were twins even on the D2's. They and old Harleys were exactly alike. I had an old harley and never had any trouble out of either but you had to know the system and every one was different. The pony would warm the diesel up to start in ANY weather if you kept it full of gas. I'd rather have one than straight electric any day. BUT that's just me.
Cat started using pony motors with the intention that the oil pressure on the main engine would be at a reasonable pressure when the big engine started. The big engine was cranked over with no compression in order to build up the oil pressure. The exhaust of the pony engine was directed through the big engine intake manifold so the big engine would be breathing warm air, when the oil pressure was up and some warm air had been circulated through the big engine you would then flip the compression release lever, and turn the big engine over so it was producing compression heat. After 15 to 50 or so seconds of this, depending on the temperature dictated by where you were in the world, you would then pull the throttle lever out of the no fuel position and that baby would be off and running 😜👍
My dad was born April 6th 1924 was 50 years old when I was born and I grew up around all of this stuff oh, he's been gone for a long time now and I'm so thankful for the things he taught me
I'd always warm the pony up at idle, turning the big motor over with the compression off while drinking a cup of coffee. When I got the coffee drunk I'd gas the pony and kick the compression on and hit the fuel and see what I had. If nothing but smoke I'd just shut the fuel off and let it churn a bit. Then usually it'd start popping and off she'd go.
And I was told it always needed to be hot coffee, hot coffee slows you down drinking it a bit more. It allows the engine to warm up more. Of course I learned that in the mid 60's...
@@knotbumper That'll work.
I remember my grandpa using a D8H when he worked for them Glendale plywood in the road division then he got a 8K he loved that cat
Good videos mate.
The luxury version I operated one in Canada 1974 with a starting handle for the pony/donkey engine. Knuckle stripper I called it.
Beautiful sounding engines👍
My dad had a 2U8, pull rope pony motor. he taught me how to say, "Mother Fnnn Morphodite" Got my mouth washed out with white Lava a few times...I asked her how come she didnt wash dads mouth out?' My dad later said wet magnito in old pony motors would give you fits.
I'd love to watch some of the young ones try to start this!
I didn't know they still had pony motors in them in 1965. When was the last year cat offered pony motors?
As a kid in 1962, I remember hearing a pony motor for the first time. Does anyone know when Caterpillar made the transition from pony motor to electric start? How about from cable to hydraulic cylinders on the blade?
Early 60s
@@bushwacker3292 .... my 1966 "High Horse" 46a still had a pony on it then
I recall many times I setting chokers when I wish that motor wouldn’t turn over
Me too. We must be blood brothers.
I love this!!!!!
20 or more years ago Cat in Australia were working on a delayed start where the starter pumped up engine pressure before it would engage the starter. Can anyone tell me if this is used on heavy machinery today please ? To my knowledge it wasn't just a decompression lever.
Yes. The AMA D11T has it built into the starting cycle. Some systems used a oil pump on the rear of the starter motor. Starter spun until pressure built up then solenoid was activated to engage the flywheel
46a
You should be running the engine on low compression before now and the engine should start at low rpm.
Is the pony motor a gas engine or a diesel as well? Do they do that because the starting torque is so high on the main motor that an electric motor wont work, or just for ease in the field?
The pony motors on a D8H like this one are a 2 cylinder gasoline engine with a magneto ignition although smaller cat models had single cylinder starting engines I believe . Originally these were used because they had not yet developed electric starting motors or batteries that would handle cranking the main engine although by the time of the 46A it had become an option and many old timers continued to buy them with gasoline starting engines because they did not trust electric starters. Pony motors were notoriously temperamental to say the least and pretty much just unreliable! In the days of the direct drive cats lots of guys would park them on a hill with the blade in the air so that they could roll start them.
@@westcoastroadbuilders All pony motors were twins even on the D2's. They and old Harleys were exactly alike. I had an old harley and never had any trouble out of either but you had to know the system and every one was different. The pony would warm the diesel up to start in ANY weather if you kept it full of gas. I'd rather have one than straight electric any day. BUT that's just me.
Cat started using pony motors with the intention that the oil pressure on the main engine would be at a reasonable pressure when the big engine started. The big engine was cranked over with no compression in order to build up the oil pressure. The exhaust of the pony engine was directed through the big engine intake manifold so the big engine would be breathing warm air, when the oil pressure was up and some warm air had been circulated through the big engine you would then flip the compression release lever, and turn the big engine over so it was producing compression heat. After 15 to 50 or so seconds of this, depending on the temperature dictated by where you were in the world, you would then pull the throttle lever out of the no fuel position and that baby would be off and running 😜👍
@@williamwalsh7128 the pony motors also circulated the engine coolant through them, in frigid climates every little bit of heat circulation helps!
Is that D8H a 36A?
Cold start
Good easy start no either